Final answer:
Nonpolar substances cannot form hydrogen bonds with water due to the lack of polarity, resulting in their low solubility in water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that best explains why nonpolar substances have low solubility in water is D. They cannot form hydrogen bonds to water.
Explanation
Water is a polar molecule, which means it has a partial positive charge on one side and a partial negative charge on the other side due to the uneven distribution of electrons between the oxygen and hydrogen atoms. This polarity allows water molecules to form strong hydrogen bonds with each other and with other polar substances.
Because nonpolar substances do not have this uneven charge distribution, they cannot form hydrogen bonds with the water molecules. As a result, nonpolar substances like oils and fats, which are hydrophobic (water-fearing), segregate from water instead of dissolving in it. This behavior is summarized by the saying "like dissolves like," meaning that polar substances tend to dissolve in polar solvents like water, and nonpolar substances dissolve in nonpolar solvents, but not in each other.